A Different Path
by ccrulz
Summary: Vicki feels she isn't needed, she soons find out what life would be like without her and what paths her friends would be on..is it better?
1. Chapter 1

Vicki and Henry were conversating about their most recent case when Coreen strolled into the office.

"Yes?" Vicki asked as she pushed her glasses up and leaned back in her chair.

"Just checking to see if you're finished with me," Coreen seemed over bubbly hinting to Vicki she had somewhere else to be.

"Sure, hot date?" Vicki grinned.

"Mmm..maybe," Coreen teased, "'night Henry," Coreen said as she bounded out for the evening.

"That girl," Vicki sighed. She returned to her computer trying to get the rest of the case typed in.

"Henry, you can go, I'll be fine," Vicki told him.

"You want me to leave," Henry stated with a scowl.

"No, I said you could go, meaning if you _want_ to you can, not that you have to. Lord knows I have nothing else to do, I'm sure you need to….grab a bite," Vicki tilted her head.

"I'm fine, thank you, what about you? Hungry?" he asked cryptically.

"Nah, I'm good," she shrugged. Vicki never ceased to amaze Henry with her steely reserve but often wished he could break through that tough exterior and pierce the tender heart he knew lurked underneath it all.

"Vicki," Henry was beside her in seconds, "how about dinner? Just dinner, nothing else. Me and you?"

Vicki glanced up at Henry, "Uh..no really Henry, I'm good. Besides, I'm a little beat, late nights and all." Vicki's heart rate increased with Henry's close proximity but she hoped he didn't notice.

"Vicki, you have to eat something," Henry insisted.

"I've got stuff in the fridge," Vicki pointed to the small refrigerator she kept in her office.

Henry was frustrated not only with her lack of wanting company but the fact she would never give in to him in any capacity. He moved away from her, the hurt evident in his eyes.

Vicki recognized it and felt bad but still, she wouldn't budge, "Henry, really, I'm tired."

"Fine, whatever," Henry turned to leave then added, "You know, so many people love you and yet, you just push those closest to you away."

"That's rich. The Lord of Lechery is offering relationship advice," Vicki snorted.

"You know what I mean, Victoria," Henry growled.

"Oh..using my full name now." Vicki turned off her computer and stood, "I think you should go now Henry." He had hit home and she wasn't comfortable with the way the conversation was going. They had a few encounters of the sexual nature but Vicki never let it go any further than hot sex, not that it was a bad thing it's just that Henry wanted so much more than she was willing to give right now.

"What is it Vicki? Why do you insist on keeping everyone out?" Henry pressed.

"Henry, seriously, out," Vicki pointed, her nostrils flared and her eyes were lit up with anger.

"Fine, but one day, you'll wish you'd taken a different path," and with a swish of wind that slapped Vicki's hair around her face, he was gone. Her face softened and she sighed.

"Yeah, I'm sure but who needs or_ wants_ me, stubborn, half-blind and high maintenance?" she asked out loud. Vicki clicked her desk lamp off and picked up the strange looking jewel they had collected during one of their cases.

"Oh crystal jewel, what does my future hold?" she teased with a slight smile. She put the jewel down and pulled her keys out to lock up. She knew deep down that she was being too stubborn and that a life alone was not healthy but it kept her heart safe and that's all that mattered. _Besides,_ she'd told herself, I'm_ strong and I don't need anyone. They are fine without me too. I'm damaged goods.._

No sooner than the thought went through her head than Vicki heard a noise and a bright light flooded her office forcing her to cover her face and eyes.

"What the fuck?" Vicki said aloud. The light seemed to suck away and a being stood before her.

"Can I help you?" Vicki reached for her asp instinctively wondering what freak of the week was in her office now.

"That will do no harm to me, Victoria Nelson," the being said. Vicki relaxed immediately. The voice sounded like dripping honey and she was not only relaxed but intrigued.

"Alright, who the hell are you then?" Vicki was still cautious.

"My name is irrelevant," it answered. Vicki had yet to determine if it was a he or a she.

"Okay, Irrelevant, what is it that you want?"

The being laughed a lilting, soft laugh, "That is not my name, I was merely making a point that my name was unimportant," the being told her.

"Well, no shit. I got that, I was being a smart ass, know what that is?" Vicki clicked her tongue.

"All too well," the being sighed.

"So, name?" Vicki again pressed.

"You may call me Dagon," the being said. _Great_, Vicki thought,_ a unisex name_.

"So..are you a male or female?" Vicki finally asked.

"Does it matter?" it asked.

"To me, yes, it does," Vicki shrugged.

"If I were human, I'd be a female," she told her.

"Gotcha, so what can I do for you Dagon? Missing your spectral mate? Long lost love? Cheating spouse?" Vicki sat on the edge of her desk. Her eyes tried to make out the face but with the bad lighting it seemed blurred and grainy.

"I'm here for you," Dagon told her.

"Me?" Vicki pointed to herself and laughed, "Uh..sorry, don't do chicks but thanks for the compliment. If that's it, I'll be go…."

Dagon cut her off, "NO..I'm here to show you just how the world would be without you."

"What the hell for?" Vicki responded defensively.

"You seem to be unappreciative of those around you that love you, you seem to think you need no one and they don't need you. It's time for you to see you are so very wrong about that but in the end," Dagon moved closer, "if you feel you're still not needed, I can fix that too."

"Why would you do this?"

"Because, Victoria, there are so many things you have yet to do, so many people to love and yet, you block yourself off. You need to be shown that life and love is a gift, that those who truly give of themselves to you and expect nothing in return are in as much need of you as you of them."

"PFFFTT! Okay, well, I don't need anyone. Been fine my whole life as is, but whatever," Vicki shrugged. She was angry this unknown creature, one she was still unsure of as to the motive, would barge into her life like this.

"How do I know something evil hasn't sent you?" Vicki narrowed her eyes then realized her tattoos would burn if there was something evil in close proximity.

"You don't but I assure you, the devil doesn't come in so nice or forward, he is sneaky and backhanded. Vicki, I have to tell you something you might find disturbing."

"You mean, more than what you've shared with me thus far? Well, hell…shoot." Vicki slapped her legs.

"If I can't make you change your ways and teach you to appreciate things in your life, it's over."

Vicki blinked trying to process what she said.

"By over you mean, over over?" Vicki asked.

Dagon nodded.

"Holy shit…."


	2. Mike

"Are you ready?" Dagon asked Vicki.

"I suppose, let's get it over with so I can get some rest," Vicki was flippant about the situation and Dagon let her displeasure be known.

"Do you think this is a game? Do you think I'm someone to be toyed with Victoria? I'm not kidding. If you do not see the error of your ways, you will cease to exist, do you comprehend that?" Dagon's voice had changed from honey sweet to razor sharp in an instant.

"Yeah, yeah, got it. Damn!" Vicki huffed, "I feel like I'm in a bad movie or something." Vicki muttered to herself. Dagon chose to ignore the comment and do something else that shocked Vicki.

Dagon reached out and ran her hand over Vicki's face and a burning sensation in Vicki's eyes brought a cry from Vicki.

'Ouch! What the fuck are you doing?" Vicki felt as though someone had sprayed mace in her eyes, they began to tear up and she couldn't see at all.

"For now, I am giving you your sight back so that you may see clearly, in all areas," Dagon explained, "now, open your eyes."

Slowly, Vicki opened her eyes and with a gasp, she realized she could indeed see perfectly. She could also see Dagon clearly.

"You're..you're beautiful," Vicki whispered. Dagon smiled.

"You are too kind," Dagon answered humbly with a slight nod of her head. Vicki was amazed to see her skin nearly translucent but in a beautiful way, not too thin to be see through and ugly. Her hair was golden, long and looked soft and thick but it was her eyes that were the most striking. They were large, transparent and bluer than anything Vicki had remembered seeing in her entire life.

"Let's begin our journey, who would you like to see first?" Dagon asked as she extended her hand. Hesitantly, Vicki took it and found Dagon was very warm to the touch.

"What are my options?"

"Coreen, your mother, Mike, Henry..the important people in your life," Dagon told her.

Vicki thought for a moment and decided quickly, "Mike, I'd like to see him first."

With that, Vicki felt as if she were being pulled into a vortex and soon found herself in the precinct. Officers were bustling past her as if she weren't there.

"Can..can they see us?" Vicki waved her hand in front of a young cop.

"No they can't, what would be the point if they could see you, they won't know you," Dagon explained.

"Oh." Vicki was hoping she could at least see Mike, to see if he would show some spark of interest or recognition but she had to resign herself to the fact that wasn't going to happen unless Dagon changed things along the way.

Vicki watched in amazement as the buzz of activity continued. Suddenly, the entire room seemed to be in a hush and when she turned to see why, she expected to see Crowley but was shocked to see Mike.

"Hey Captain," one officer said nervously.

"Well, why all the standing around people? Cases to solve," Mike barked before heading to Crowley's office, or maybe it was his Vicki realized when he shut the door and Captain Celluci was plastered on the smoked glass.

"Damn," Vicki said softly.

"Michael Celluci has done well," Dagon noted.

"Much better than he ever did when I was around, see, they don't need me," Vicki told her.

"Things aren't always as they appear Victoria," Dagon told her as they seemingly slipped through the wall and into Mike's office. Mike was at his desk looking somewhat haggard. The phone rang and he picked it up in a huff.

"Celluci! Yeah…yeah…I got it," he slammed the phone down and ran his hands through his hair. Looking around to make sure no one was coming, he opened his desk drawer and to Vicki's shock, he pulled out a bottle of whiskey. Pouring it into his cup, he topped it off with stale coffee then slugged it back.

"Ahhh…better," Mike said aloud. As he grabbed files on his desk, Vicki's mouth dropped open.

"He never drank on the job, much less whiskey, what the hell is wrong with you Mike?" Vicki moved toward him and tried to touch him. Mike flinched and looked around as if he felt something then shrugged, continuing to look at the file in front of him. Vicki peered over his shoulder and read. She smiled when she realized she could see everything so clearly.

"Whoa..no wonder," Vicki said.

"What is it?" Dagon asked.

"Looks like Mike's got a serial killer, draining the victims, all young women…" Vicki stopped and stared at Dagon.

"Don't tell me Henry is a killer," she stated rather than asked.

"I will tell you, it isn't Henry but it's a hard case, it's taking its toll on the Captain."

"No shit Sherlock," Vicki shook her head. She tried to touch Mike's hair but made no contact.

Dagon rolled her eyes. The language Vicki used was quite colorful but she never corrected her. This was, after all, Vicki's true personality. Everyone else had changed, not Vicki.

"Where are you asshole.." Mike muttered while rifling through the case.  
The graphic pictures told a horrific tale and Mike wanted nothing more than to find the guilty party. His frustration was evident. Picking up the phone, he hit an extension and yelled at them to come into his office. Within seconds, Detective Lam and another male entered his office.

"Alright, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, what have you got for me?"

Vicki was horrified, her Mike never spoke to fellow officers like that. She listened as the usually tough and put together Kate fumbled and told him they hadn't made much headway.

"That's not going to get it, Detectives!" Mike slammed his fist on the desk, "get out there and find this freak!"

With that dismissal, Kate and the younger cop left the office. Vicki heard them mumble 'ass' and 'jerk' but thankfully, Mike was oblivious. His cell phone rang and when he looked at the number, he rolled his eyes and groaned.

"Yes, honey, yes…on my way…okay, okay…I'll be home in a few," Mike sighed out. He picked up his files but not before a last swig on the bottle and then left the precinct.

"Mike's married, wow," Vicki said with raised eyebrows.

"Mike wanted a wife, kids, the whole thing, it was you that didn't appreciate how much he loved you, Victoria," Dagon reminded her.

Vicki had a sudden thought, "Wait, if Mike's captain, where's Crowley?"

Dagon smiled, "Oh, she's the Chief of Police."

Vicki cringed, "Thank God I'm not here, I'd be in jail for murder."

"Are you ready to meet Mike's family?"

"Family? He's got kids?" Vicki seemed taken aback. Her heart lurched with jealousy which seemed out of character for her but she couldn't help it. It struck you that sometimes, you don't know what you're missing until you don't have it. Then again, this was a different path.

"Sure, why not."

Vicki wasn't quite prepared for what she would see next…


	3. Homelife

With another pull, Vicki found herself at what seemed to be Mike's house. The sound of a baby crying and children fighting resounded throughout the large house. A woman, a pretty woman, came into the living room where Vicki and Dagon stood unnoticed. On her hip was an infant, no more than a year. It was a beautiful little girl, the spitting image of Mike. Two boys about four and five came barreling into the living room screaming and chasing each other.

"You're under arrest," the older one yelled, another mini-Mike.

"You'll never take me alive," the younger one yelled. This one looked just like his mother.

"Boys! Stop running and yelling in the house, go wash up for dinner," the woman admonished them.

"Yes ma'am," the boys dutifully replied but not before they older one said, "next time, you're all mine." The boys both giggled and took off to get ready for dinner.

"Nice digs, great kids too," Vicki took notice.

"Yes, what a quaint little family," Dagon told her.

"What's the catch?" Vicki asked. The PI in her could tell something was going on but wasn't quite sure what it was.

"What do you mean?" Dagon tried unsuccessfully to sound innocent.

"For one, look at her face," Vicki pointed to Mike's wife, "that's the look of a sad woman. Secondly, it looks as if Mike isn't home too much, that's a sad man. If you're home life is great, why stay gone?"

"You are quite astute, you're good at your job," Dagon offered.

Just then, Mike came through the front door. With a sigh, he hung up his coat and made his way to the living room.

"Ugh Mike, you didn't bring home those files again did you? I told you to stop bringing that shit in the house, Junior and Shelton don't need to see that, here take Katie," his wife handed the baby to him. Mike's face lit up as he kissed and hugged his little girl.

"Hey there," he said as he sat on the sofa with her, "how's daddy's girl?" Vicki's eyes misted with tears. Seeing Mike as a father touched her heart.

"Rachel, I'm sorry. I've got to solve this case, I'll keep the boys out of it, I promise," Mike told her. Rachel started picking up the scattered toys and clothes and tossing them into an empty playpen.

"Yeah, yeah, same song, different verse, we need to talk Mike," Rachel told him. She was blonde, thin but healthy and had deep emerald green eyes.

"I know, we always need to talk," Mike sighed. He was definitely an unhappy man. Vicki realized they hadn't even kissed when Mike arrived home.

"Wow, this is rough for him," Vicki said softly.

"Do you think your life with him would have been better had you chosen to stay with him?" Dagon asked.

Vicki thought for a moment, "I..I can't say. I'm a little more pigheaded and really not the stay at home kinda mom. But, I never thought of Mike as captain either, it's so demanding but I am proud of him. It's something he's always wanted. How did they meet?"

"You never went to the academy, she did but she chose forensics. They dated, fell in love, got married, etcetera, and this is the end result. She didn't want Mike to become captain, she felt it would be too much for their marriage but there are other issues too."

"Like?"

"You'll see, come on," Dagon moved forward in the evening and into Mike's bedroom.

"Oh no, no, no," Vicki put her hands up, "I so do _not _want to see them having sex."

Dagon laughed, "I can assure you, that will not be happening between these two."

Vicki noted she said _between these two _and decided to hang on to that thought.

"…and I'm sick of it Mike! You're not here, not physically, mentally, emotionally, it's as if we don't exist," Rachel yelled.

"Look, my job is demanding, what can I say? You know when we have a big case this happens Rachel, I'm sorry." Mike yelled back.

"When is the last time we had sex Mike?" Rachel folded her arms and stood firm.

"What? Hell..I have no idea," Mike threw his hands up.

"Exactly, you have no idea but I do. It's been two months Mike, TWO months," Rachel held up two fingers for emphasis. This woman was frustrated on several planes.

"Whoa..Mike couldn't go two days when we were together, what the hell…" Vicki whispered unnecessarily.

"You wanna have sex now? Fine, let's have sex Rachel," Mike started removing his clothing, grabbed Rachel and began to kiss her firmly, no compassion, no tenderness and certainly not like a man in love.

"Get away from me!" Rachel pushed him off of her and slapped him.

"Go on Mike, go downstairs to your room, drink your whiskey, do what you always do," Rachel was crying and turned her back on him. Mike grabbed a pillow and left the room stopping for a moment to look at his unhappy wife. His heart ached, he knew he was hurting her but something stopped him from reaching out, that much Vicki could see. Rachel plopped down on the bed and began to sob uncontrollably.

"Man, that sucks," Vicki sighed out. She wanted to follow Mike and Dagon must have sensed it because soon, they were in "Mike's room" as Rachel had referred to it as.

"He sleeps here every night?" Vicki asked. It appeared to be another living area that served as a home office. Mike flopped into his chair and ran his hands through his hair.

"Damn," he muttered. His cell phone was vibrating and when he picked up, he was smiling. This was the first time Vicki had seen him smile since being there.

"Hey, yeah, I'm home, where are you? Uh.." Mike peered toward the door, "I'll make something up. See you in twenty." Mike clicked his phone shut, redressed and told Rachel there was information on the case, he had to go out.

"As usual," Rachel muttered and went back upstairs. Mike got into his car and left so quickly Vicki was stunned.

"Where the hell is he going?" Vicki was frowning and Dagon knew she'd figured it out.

"Not _where_ is he going but_ who_ is he going to is the question," Dagon asked.

Vicki growled when she realized the gravity of what Mike was doing…


	4. A Little Bit Of Henry

Vicki was fuming when she figured out Mike must be having an affair. No wonder the man hadn't needed sex in two months, he was banging someone else!

"What's wrong Vicki?" Dagon asked.

"What's wrong? Are ya dreamin'?! Mike is cheating! Mike was never a cheater!"

"Vicki, this isn't the Mike you were with, remember?"

Vicki was pissed beyond belief but couldn't argue it was a different time and place. Soon, they were at someone's house. Mike glanced around, took his house key out and let himself in. Vicki and Dagon followed.

"Hey sexy, missed you," Mike told the woman Vicki couldn't see yet. When he moved away from their passionate kiss, Vicki gasped.

"Kate! He's having an affair with Kate!? Wait..and his daughter is named Katie? Oh Mike," Vicki stomped her foot and clenched her fists.

"You weren't there, Vicki. He made another choice however, it wasn't a happy choice and this," Dagon pointed, "is what makes him happy."

"Cheating?" Vicki's voice was an octave higher.

"No, Vicki, having someone that supports him, that understands him, like you did," Dagon told her.

"But…earlier, he was an asshole to her," Vicki remembered.

"True, but could he let his true feelings be known? It would cost them both much more than a failed marriage," Dagon offered.

Vicki was still in a state of shock when suddenly, they were at Henry's condo.

"Hey! I didn't pick him yet!" Vicki exclaimed.

"I know but we are done for tonight. It's off to spend time in the here and now," Dagon told her.

"What the hell? You mean I'm going to go back and forth? How is that going to work?"

"You'll make due," Dagon smiled and was gone as quickly as she'd come. Vicki stood in the hallway and debated on whether to go home or not but Henry chose for her by opening the door.

"Hello, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Henry's sexy grin was an immediate turn on for Vicki. She wanted to forget all that had happened. Maybe it was just a dream or a fantasy but at any rate, she wanted to have hot sex with Henry and lose herself in the passion they created. Throwing herself into his arms, she parted his lips with her hot, wet and tongue and ground into him.

Henry pulled away and growled, "Well, I guess the question is really, what kind of pleasure I owe you?" Vicki again attacked him and pushed him into his condo.

"Stop talking," Vicki ordered as she began to undress. Henry was dressed only in his robe and boxers saving both of them time. Clothes flew off in all directions as Vicki began to throw hers everywhere.

"Vicki," Henry said between kisses, "are you okay?"

"Mmm.." Vicki mumbled while suckling his hardened nipple, her hands finding his erection bobbing and twitching, the firmness yet silkiness turning Vicki on more than she was when she'd entered. Henry became aggressive and pushed her into the wall, pinning her hands over her head. Vicki's breathing was shallow and rapid, her core dripping with desire for him. He kissed her lips then moved to her neck, all the while keeping her body pinned and unable to move. Vicki cried out and pushed into him begging for more. His lips found her breasts and his tongue encircled her peaked nub, flicking and twirling her in his mouth. She arched into him and called his name. Henry's erection pushed toward her wet opening and she moved down to meet him.

"Not here," he whispered. Scooping her up in his arms, he continued his assault on her neck and slipped his fingers into her tight wet walls while taking her to the bed. They fell together and Henry quickly crawled up to lay directly over her.

"Vicki, I don't want to hurt you," Henry's eyes were black as night.

"I want to feel you, all of you," she told him while scratching his back and bringing blood. She knew this would bring his beast and right now, that's what she wanted. She wanted to know she was alive and this was real.

"Vicki, be careful what you wish for," Henry said through extended fangs. Vicki growled out for him to bite her but not drink and he happily obliged. He bit her breast, she cried out, he bit her shoulder, she shuddered and when he bit the inside of her thigh, she groaned. The pain was pleasure, the pleasure was pain. Her wetness called to Henry and he licked and sucked her center, his fingers stretching her opening and teasing just the outside, teasing those sensitive nerves. She hissed and wiggled for him to be more aggressive. Although he was puzzled by her reactions tonight, he was pleased and turned on as well. Growling, he bit her thigh again and drank just enough to make her spasm and jerk. He moved back to her wet folds and again began to tease and suckle her wet center. She was engorged with desire and within just minutes, Henry had brought her over the edge. Vicki grabbed his hair, pulling and crying out her many orgasms. Henry picked her up and flipped her. He speared her in one swift move, pulling her up next to him. Henry was in a sitting position on the bed and Vicki began to ride him. His free hands found one breast while the other teased her extra sensitive nub. Henry's ability to hold off was unmatched and he did just that until he felt her begin to tighten again. He slammed into her fast and hard, Vicki knew she would be bruised in the morning but that was fine, she would know it was real.

As she began to spasm yet again, Henry bit her shoulder and drank her sweet nectar filled with the throes of their passion. He spilled into her and roared as he jerked, her walls pulling him into her as far as she would allow. Spent and sweating, the lay together on the bed spooning and resting.

"Vicki," Henry whispered as he pulled her wet hair away from her face, "what's wrong? Are you okay?

"Yes, I'm good, nothing's wrong Henry, I just really, really needed that," she sighed out. She let him drape his arm over and she could feel his semi-hard manhood pressing into her. She jerked a little and made a noise akin to a small squeak.

"Like what you feel?" Henry teased while pushing into her again.

"Oh yes, do I ever…"


	5. Coreen

Vicki awoke the next morning on the couch in her office.

"Dammit!" she shouted. She was fully clothed and afraid the night with Henry had been a dream, a dirty one but a dream none the less. The thought was fleeting when swung her legs to meet the floor and realized how sore she was.

She smiled, "Thank God that was real." She pulled her shirt down and saw the bite mark on her breast, yes she had hot sex with Henry. That's all it was, hot sex, nothing more. She always tried her best to convince herself of that but each time, she felt more connected to him.

"Is that all you think it is? Hot sex? You feel nothing for the vampire?" Dagon's voice came from nowhere.

"Stay out of my head dammit," Vicki scowled. She stood and went to the outer office expecting to see Coreen.

"It's Saturday," Dagon once again talked to her. Vicki spun to see her standing there. She looked less illuminating in the daytime but was still beautiful.

"Don't scare me like that, I'm apt to beat the shit out of you," Vicki began to make coffee.

"Ready for today's visit?"

"This is," Vicki searched for word, "bizarre I guess would be the correct word."

"Why?"

"Yesterday, I see Mike in a different life, last night I have wonderfully hot sex with Henry, in the present, that makes no sense."

"I had to keep some kind of connection yesterday, you were becoming so despondent with Mike and Kate I sent you back but today, we are back to your non-existence."

"How is that possible? I'm in my own fucking office," Vicki motioned around.

"Really? Are you certain?" Dagon asked then Vicki looked again. They were…nowhere.

"What the hell? What did you do?"

"We are not anywhere, again, I was trying to keep some normalcy for you with using your office. Now, who today?"

"Coreen I guess," Vicki shrugged then realized she never had a cup of coffee.

"Here," Dagon handed her a cup of hot, steaming coffee that smelled like heaven.

"Like I said, stay out of my head, but thanks," Vicki said as she took a sip. The coffee tasted like nothing she'd tasted before and she was afraid to ask where Dagon obtained it.

"This is fantastic coffee," Vicki complimented her.

"Thank you, on to Coreen," Dagon grabbed Vicki's hand. She'd never held hands with another woman so much in her life, she didn't want to make a habit of it.

They were soon at an apartment building, a dilapidated one at that. Vicki looked around and realized it wasn't the best of areas. The buildings were run down, the neighborhood less than safe and the residents were a little on the scary side. She could hear yelling, fighting and saw things even the most seasoned cop tends to stay away from unless forced to deal with.

"Coreen lives here? Man, I need to give her a raise," Dagon held up her finger.

"Remember, you don't exist for these people. She doesn't work for you," Dagon reminded Vicki.

"That's right," Vicki sighed.

They were inside Coreen's apartment in a flash and Vicki was again shocked. The furniture was worn to the point of seeing through it, the wallpaper peeled and in general it looked as if Coreen was struggling to make ends meet. In fact, Vicki was certain that was the case.

"This is so sad," Vicki said aloud. Just then, Coreen exited her bedroom.

"She…looks the same," Vicki said with surprise.

"She is the same, on the outside. On the inside, that's a different story," Dagon told Vicki to watch closely.

Coreen gathered her bag, shoved her school books into it and headed for the door. She checked and rechecked to make sure everything was turned off then slipped outside. Vicki and Dagon followed her to her car and true to form, she had the same ugly car she had before.

"Yeah..lots of differences," Vicki said sarcastically. Before the words left her mouth, a rough looking young kid came up behind her and grabbed her. Coreen screamed and dropped her things. Instinctively, Vicki moved forward to kick his ass but stopped short when she saw Coreen's reactions.

"Hey! Stop that Jake," Coreen huffed.

"Sorry babe, where ya goin'?" the goth boy asked.

"School..duh.." Coreen rolled her eyes.

"What did I say about school Coreen?" The boy glared at her.

"Well..I..I…have to go Jake..I gotta finish the semester out…" Coreen stammered. She seemed afraid and never in her life had Vicki wanted to deck someone so badly. She moved toward this Jake boy but knew there was nothing she could do.

"Like I said, school is for suckers, no more after this semester and don't be late for work," Jake kissed her with a hard, wet and sloppy kiss. Vicki couldn't help herself and swung at him and although her fist just went right through him, it still felt better.

"Get OFF Jake," Coreen pushed him away. Jake ground into her and smiled wickedly.

"Oh..I will, don't worry," and thankfully with that last statement, he was gone. Vicki shook her head and clucked her tongue. Coreen was sobbing and it tore Vicki's heart out. These feelings Vicki had for Coreen were strange and she was unsure how to handle them. Vicki wasn't sure she liked them either but she also felt a pull toward protecting Coreen too.

"That's…horrific!" Vicki said throwing her hands in the air.

"You weren't there after Ian was killed, she never met you and never went to work for you, she's doing the best she can, Jake.." Dagon thumbed behind her in the direction Jake went, "he was there for her after Ian was killed and he was nice at first. She didn't have you to help make her strong, to be her friend. Come, let's go to where Coreen works."

Dagon fast-forwarded them to the evening. Vicki stood outside House of Babes and shook her head no. She never thought of Coreen as a friend up until this very moment but Coreen was indeed her friend she came to the sudden realization that she'd failed her by not existing at all.

"No, that is not where she works. It better not be where she works, does she work there?" Vicki glanced at Dagon.

"I'm afraid so Victoria, Jake is the night bouncer," Dagon sighed. Vicki heard Jake and Coreen behind her and when she turned to look, she almost threw up.

"Oh shit, Coreen, no," Vicki wanted to whisk her away from this place but she couldn't.

"Stop it, Jake," Coreen pulled away from Jake's touchy feely and her coat fell open. Vicki was horrified to see Coreen in nothing but a two piece next to nothing, garish make up, which was saying a lot when Vicki was used to the goth make up and come fuck me shoes.

"That's not acceptable," Vicki shouted.

"It's a…"

"I_ know_, it's a different path, but dayum!" Vicki was exasperated.

"Seen enough?" Dagon asked.

"More than enough, can I go back to another round of hot sex with Henry?"

"I'm afraid not, your choice now, Henry or your mother?"

Vicki sighed, those were the two she was dreading for obvious reasons to everyone but her.

"My mother," she finally decided.

"May I ask you something?" Dagon pried.

"Yeah."

"So far, do you think your life makes a difference?"

Vicki thought a moment, "Well, honestly, they just made bad choices. How did I affect that really?"

"That's what I thought, we'll see how visiting your mother goes…"


	6. Marjory

Vicki's mind wandered to the times she'd spent with Henry. She thought back to their first few times they watched movies together then to how things had progressed into something more. Vicki never let her heart open to him, just her body. It seemed to work for her but now she wondered if she'd truly only opened _just_ her body. She also thought back to the Coreen she knew, the stubborn little girl that had grown so much under her employment. She sometimes took Coreen for granted but never thought Coreen gave a second thought to Vicki on a personal level. Then there was Mike, the most shocking thus far and she hadn't seen her mother or Henry yet. Then again, Coreen was pretty shocking too.

"What's your favorite memory of your mother Vicki?" Dagon asked snapping Vicki back to reality.

Vicki smiled, "I think it would have to be her trying to comfort me after I fell off my bike and skinned every inch of bare skin that showed. She did her best and tried to stop my sobbing. Then," Vicki looked into nothing and her eyes watered somewhat, "she told me I was going to have to be tough. She said "Vicki darling, that's what she called me, Vicki darling, it's just me and you kid. You'll do great, you'll grow up and be your own woman, and I have faith in you. My father had just left, I thought it was my fault and everything upset me."

"Was this a turning point for you?"

Vicki nodded, "It was. I knew at that point in time that I needed no one, or I thought I didn't. Either way, my mother had faith in me, that's all that mattered. Now, I'm just one big bowl of disappointment for her, no marriage, no kids, just a massive fuck up."

"You sell yourself and your mother short, we're here," Dagon had deposited them in the house Vicki grew up in.

"She still lives in the same house, can't be all that bad," Vicki shrugged as she tried to convince herself her mother was fine.

Vicki looked around and saw there were no pictures on the wall, her mother had no children at all. There were antiques of sorts, old faded prints and much outdated wallpaper and old furniture. Vicki jumped when a cat came out of nowhere, stood in front of them and hissed.

"Holy shit! My mom has a cat?"

"Your mom has 'cats' as in many, the cats can sense us, that's why he hissed," Dagon told Vicki.

"How many cats?" Vicki's eyes widened.

"Many," Dagon motioned for her to follow her. Vicki's heart dropped when she saw her mother sitting alone in the near dark room, her lap filled with two more cats. Her eyes popped out of her head when she saw at least eight more cats sitting throughout the room.

"Oh…my…" Vicki managed out.

"That's my pretty kitty," Vicki's mother told the orange striped cat that lay purring on her lap.

"My mother is a crazy cat lady?"

"Excuse me, I have cats and not all of us are crazy cat ladies thank you," Dagon was offended.

"I'm sorry, it's just so sad. She's alone…so she never had any kids at all? Well, my mother did struggle so maybe it's for the best," Vicki tried to justify her mother's loneliness while at the same time ease her sense of guilt.

"This is better?" Dagon pointed to the empty house, save for the many cats.

Before Vicki could respond, she noticed tears slipping down her mother's face.

"Oh, my precious kitties, you're all I have, what would I do without you? Why didn't God give me a child I wonder…would I have been a bad mother? I suppose so," Marjory Nelson or rather Smith would be her name if she'd never married, sighed and wiped her tears away. Her mother looked very old and weary.

"That's not right, she would have had another child, right? I mean come on, she didn't stay single forever, did she?" Vicki was shocked and hurt for her mother.

"Yes, she did. Vicki, she never married your father, you were never born. After your father left, did your mother date?"

Vicki tilted her head and realized that no, her mother never dated. She would have never met someone else because she stayed single all those years and even now or rather in Vicki's time before this excursion, Marjory didn't date.

"I guess not," Vicki said softly. Vicki moved to sit next to her mother and she wanted nothing more than to touch her hand, to comfort her and to tell her how much she loved her.

"Take me out of here, this is horrible," Vicki ordered.

"I thought your life was unimportant, Vicki. Why worry about some old woman you would have never known anyway?"

"Just get me out of here, please," Vicki's eyes brimmed with tears that she refused to shed. Her mind drifted back to one night with Henry, one night she'd shared some of her life with.

"_You are an only child then?" Henry asked as he twirled Vicki's hair._

"_Yep, can you imagine two of me?" Vicki had laughed._

"_I'd like that," Henry said cryptically._

"_I'll bet you would, dirty man," Vicki teased back. Henry had taken Vicki in his arms and kissed her passionately then pulled away._

"_So, you are close to your mother?"_

_Vicki had shrugged, "I guess so, whatever. I really don't need anyone, besides, I'm not the best daughter in the world." Henry pulled her close again and slipped his hand under her shirt. Vicki moaned, lay back on the couch and let him have his way with her. Leaning up, Henry had pulled his shirt off and undone his pants, Vicki had gladly removed them and slipped him in her mouth. Henry arched into her ministrations, her wet, hot tongue laving his sensitive tip and sucking on him intermittently while her hand stroked his shaft in short bursts for added pleasure. Henry had taken her clothes off as well and soon, they were entwined, arms and legs, hands and lips travelled over one another. Vicki had never been with someone like Henry, a tender, compassionate and selfless lover. Henry's kisses were the best she'd ever experienced, the many years of practice paying off in a big way. _

_Vicki had flipped Henry over and began to rub herself on his pulsing member. His eyes bled black and he groaned while he cupped and massaged her breasts. Vicki had thrown her head back and with the backlight of the TV., they made love on Henry's couch. She speared him, her legs hooked underneath his thighs while she rocked back and forth. Henry leaned up and took her breast in his mouth, his tongue laving her hardened nubs fast and furious. Vicki's hands entwined in his hair, pulling it and scraping his scalp with her nails as she grasped for something to hold on to as her release edged closer. Henry felt her walls pulling him in, tightening and releasing as he hit her spot over and over. Feeling her ready, he bit her breast and drank. Vicki had thrown her head back and screamed obscenities while they finished together. They had lain together for awhile after their session silent and happy. Vicki detached herself from the feeling she had for him, it would complicate things and she didn't do complicated. She couldn't deny he was the best lover she'd ever had but she couldn't let herself get caught up in feelings, look where it had gotten her mother, heartache, sadness and loneliness._

This thought tugged at Vicki's heart. At least her mother had her, she wasn't quite so lonely with Vicki around but without Vicki, all she had was cats. Her mother was sad and hurt, Vicki hated to see her like that.

Vicki dreaded seeing Henry…


	7. Henry

Vicki was quite for a bit while travelling through whatever it was they were travelling through.

"What's on your mind Vicki?" Dagon asked.

"Nothing," Vicki lied.

"Right, nothing at all?"

"Nope."

Vicki would not discuss personal issues with this woman, she refused.

"Take me back to the present," Vicki suddenly said.

"What? I can't, you don't exist and until you change your ways or at least see that you need to, if I take you back now things will be just as you saw them."

"Then let's get Henry over with and then take me back, I can change their lives without me being in them to begin with, except for my mother maybe," Vicki thought.

"You think that you can waltz into these stranger's lives and change them." Dagon stated rather than asked.

"Yes, I do. I'm a force to be reckoned with," Vicki said confidently.

"Uh huh…well, let's go see Henry shall we?" Dagon smiled wistfully and secretly couldn't wait to see Vicki's reaction to Henry's current life. They were standing in the middle of Henry's condo and Vicki swirled toward the bedroom when she heard groaning and moaning coming from within the confines of Henry's room.

"Oh you've got to be kidding, are you serious? You brought me in here during sex?" Vicki's eyes were ablaze with anger.

"Not hardly, I have morals you know." Dagon motioned for Vicki to look but Vicki was hesitant. The sounds she heard certainly sounded like sex to her. After sighing loudly, Vicki peered in and saw that a woman was straddling Henry's back giving him a massage. They were both fully clothed, sort of. The woman was in a nightie, a see through one at that and Henry was in his boxers. Henry was indeed moaning but in response to being massaged by her hands, nothing more.

"My bad," Vicki shrugged and Dagon laughed at Vicki's use of current slang.

"That's good," Henry said as he flipped underneath the woman. She was a petite brunette, eyes as blue as the morning sky and full, red lips that pulled down into a pout. The woman lolled her head back, closed her eyes and groaned while grinding down onto Henry. Vicki opened her mouth and pointed to the scene before her but Dagon shook her head and ordered her silently to wait and see. Vicki closed her mouth and cursed under her breath. She did not want to see anything remotely sexual between Henry and one of his meals.

"Aw come on," the woman whispered as she licked her lips.

"Really, it was great but I must get to work on my novel, I have a deadline you know," Henry smiled that sexy smile that sent shivers through Vicki's body.

"Alright, but I'm fixing us something to eat," the young woman insisted.

"I'm good, you go ahead," Henry told her as he padded toward his lighted table. Vicki could smell him as he walked by her and she inhaled deeply, relishing in his musky man smell.

"Damn," she muttered while watching his tight ass sway away from her. He was in nothing but his boxers and Vicki, while she had seen him nude, would not need to see him nude to know he was well endowed, the front of his boxers let that be known. She shuddered and her core dripped with desire for him.

"What's the matter Vicki, too hot to handle?"

"Fuck you," Vicki shot back.

"No thanks. I think it's Henry you'd like to do that to, am I right?"

Vicki glared at Dagon and frowned. Of course she wanted to fuck Henry, that was a given but this was a different time and place. Vicki also wanted nothing more than to find the beautiful young girl, yank her up by the hair on her head and toss her out on her sweet little ass. _Wait_, Vicki thought to herself, _I am not jealous. Henry is not mine._

Dagon leaned over a little and whispered, "He's not?"

Vicki swirled, fire in her eyes and said through gritted teeth, "Please, stay _OUT _of my head!"

"Sorry, just pointing out that if you weren't interested in more than just sex, you wouldn't care who Henry was with," Dagon went into the living room to stand directly behind Henry who was deeply involved in what he was doing. Vicki followed and glared toward the kitchen where she knew the trollop was fixing something to eat.

"I do see what you love in him though," Dagon noted as she stood behind him. Vicki muttered "I don't love him," under her breath but Dagon didn't respond, choosing instead to ignore her. Henry's sinewy back and arms moved with each stroke of his drawing pencil. The muscles rippled beneath the skin and his eyes were so intense he seemed somewhere else. When Vicki stood to the other side of Henry, he stopped and sniffed the air.

Vicki froze, "Oh hell! Does he know we're here?"

"He shouldn't, but he senses something," Dagon circled the table and waved her hand in front of him. Henry, however, turned in Vicki's direction and sniffed again.

"What the fuck?" Vicki said softly. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Henry shook his head and got back to work.

Vicki looked at what he was drawing and gasped.

"What is it?" Dagon asked and took her position again. She peered over Henry's shoulder and her eyes widened.

"Wow, that is really something," Dagon said.

"How is that possible?" Vicki pointed, "If I "don't exist" how is it that he is drawing me in the Warrior Princess mode?"

Dagon frowned, "I really don't know Vicki but," she looked thoughtful then said, "maybe it's because you are the only one for him, you are soulmates and he's drawing that part which he thinks of or feels."

Vicki made a face and rolled her eyes, "Yeah, that's it oh wise one."

"Got a better explanation?" Dagon crossed her arms. Vicki started to argue when Little Ms. Priss came back into the living room with two plates.

"Alright sexy, dinner," she offered him a plate. Henry seemed perturbed and pushed it away.

"Did you not hear me? I said I was good," Henry growled.

"Really because I haven't seen you eat anything," the young girl smiled and added, "well, except me," Vicki lunged, fists balled up and mouth set but Dagon stopped her, "it's good, Henry," the girl smiled as she tried yet again to shove the plate in front of him.

Henry stood and was in front of her so quickly she dropped the plates, she screamed and jumped as he grabbed her forcefully.

"I said no, now," his eyes bled and his otherwordly voice fell from his snarled lips, "I don't want to eat. You will leave, never return and never remember me. You had a good time with your friends. Go," and with that, he pushed her away. Dutifully, she grabbed her things and left the condo without another word.

"What the fuck was that about?" Vicki watched as Henry stomped back to his lighted table. He was huffing, eyes still black and fangs still extended.

"Can't you feel it Vicki?" Dagon asked.

Vicki stared and realized she did indeed feel it….Henry was empty.

Vicki had only seen the surface of what Henry was now like…


	8. Encounter

Vicki was stunned at Henry's behavior.

"What has happened to him?" she asked.

Dagon rolled her eyes, sighed and said quite sarcastically, "Hellooo??? You are NOT in his life? Remember?"

"Are you telling me that one person, me, makes this much difference? Seriously? Henry has had many, many women over the centuries and you're trying to tell me that I'm the one that made a difference?"

"Yes, apparently, you're struggling with the lesson, all of these people in your life, they all need you. Come on, you need see the full effect of Henry," Dagon grabbed Vicki's hand before she could pull away and they were in a club. The music was loud, the people were young and there was Henry, hitting on a very pretty blonde at the bar. Vicki was once again appalled and jealous to see him with someone else. These feelings infuriated her but she couldn't do anything about them at this point in time, her eyes were too focused on Henry, King Of Lechery, he had moved up a notch.

"Come," Henry held his hand out for the girl to follow him and of course, she did. Vicki and Dagon followed as well. Henry took her out to the alley, a smelly, dark and ugly place. Soon, they were making out and Vicki wanted nothing more than to close her eyes but Dagon told her she must watch.

When Vicki knew Henry was close to feeding, she tried once again to cover her eyes but Dagon refused to let her. Vicki wanted to think the word "bitch" but knew Dagon would "hear" her. Henry bit and the girl cried out, not in ecstasy but in pain. Her eyes showed just how much pain she was in. Vicki knew by looking there was no orgasmic experience for her but from the look in Henry's eyes, he was getting all he needed. When he was done, he licked her wounds closed. The poor girl was on the verge of screaming and running when he finally wiped her mind with a wicked smile, no, an evil smile on his face Vicki decided. When the girl left the alley way, Henry looked around and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Vicki was stunned.

"What the hell, I've never ever known Henry to do this," and while Vicki had not been there for every single feeding, she knew he told her he never made it a painful experience.

"This," Dagon pointed, "is not your Henry. Your Henry was never how shall I put it…made? You never met him, he never saved you, he never told his secret on the first night you met because it was love at first sight and trust as well, none of those things happened. He has nothing in his life to look forward to, Vicki. He's got absolutely nothing but eternity. Why be boring? Besides, he doesn't have his soul mate," Dagon shrugged non-chalantly.

"Because, that's not him. His personality, it's just not him," Vicki shook her head. She refused to address the whole soul mate issue right now.

"Yes, it is, come on," Dagon pulled Vicki by the arm to follow Henry down the street. When they approached a man being beat up, Henry glanced their way and continued to walk in the opposite direction.

"But.." Vicki pointed to the fight and then to Henry, her mouth gaped open in shock.

"Not your Henry," Dagon reminded him. Soon, they swirled back to Henry's condo. Vicki could tell by the setting it was another night. Henry's door was ajar and again, Vicki heard moaning. She pursed her lips in a frown and barged into his room. This time, however, Henry _was_ in the middle of a very strange and violent sexual encounter. The woman he was having sex with was handcuffed to the bed and had bite marks all over her. Blood oozed from the marks, dripping down her body in small rivers of red. She was pleading with Henry to stop, he was scaring her and hurting her and there was no enjoyment on her part whatsoever.

Henry was on his knees, fully erect and glaring at her with eyes Vicki had never seen, dark, evil eyes that sent shivers through Vicki's body. She was sickened and saddened at the sight before her.

"Don't worry, it will be over soon," Henry growled. The woman's look of fear was replaced with one of worry, was he going to kill her? went through her mind.

"I thought you said he wasn't the killer?" Vicki was too shocked to be embarrassed, jealous or whatever it was she was supposed to be feeling.

"He isn't but he is somewhat of a sadist," Dagon replied. Vicki was angry and hurt, this truly was not her Henry.

"Please, take me out of here," Vicki looked defeated.

"Are you sure you don't need to see more?"

Vicki shook her head no.

"There is one more person I'd like to see," Vicki offered.

Dagon tilted her head, "Really? I thought these four were the most important?"

Vicki nodded her head and swallowed a lump in her throat put their by this horrific experience, "Yes, in my present time but there was a friend I had, a best friend and I lost touch with her. She got me through the hardest of times, I've always regretted not keeping in touch. Can you take me there?"

"Sure, what's her name?" Dagon asked.

"Annie," Vicki told her. Dagon thought for a moment, her eyes closed and her breathing seemed to stop then she snapped them open and said 'let's go," off they went.

When they arrived at their destination, Vicki could say nothing.

"Oh no.."


	9. Fate

Henry finished with the current girl and sent her on her way. He sat on the edge of the bed, her blood still on his chest and face and clenched his fists over and over. What was wrong with him? He had stopped attending church, he felt so lost and empty and yet, this woman he constantly drew was doing something to him. Who was she? He had no idea nor did he know why he was seeing her in his mind but still, the darkness was taking over Henry a little more each day. He'd been alive for so very long and there was no one that had touched him in his heart in so long what was the point? Had he lost that ability to see the good in others, the happiness that others bring you and the upside to a life lived long and lovingly? Who did Henry have to love and to love him back without him being able to convince them to love him? Yes, women desired Henry but none of them really loved him, challenged him or filled his heart. Henry was a dark man, empty and devoid of feeling.

Standing in front of his mirror, he looked at himself and said, "You are Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond, royalty, what's wrong with you?"

Deciding to take a shower, he ran the water as hot as he could stand it. He let the water run over him and closed his eyes and slowly, the woman he kept drawing crept into his mind. As he ran his hands over his body with the soapy rag, he once again became aroused but not from what had occurred earlier, that disgusted him now. The woman in his drawings was before him, nude and beautiful. Her honey blonde hair fell around her face, her hazel eyes sparkled and those full lips, they asked to be kissed. He could feel himself kissing her and found himself stroking his hard member. He groaned and stroked harder taking him to the edge of release. His mind wandered, his fantasy feeling so close to reality that soon, he had spilled himself in the shower. His heart raced and he was sweating underneath the steamy water. When he opened his eyes, they were black with desire for this woman.

"I must find you," Henry whispered aloud. He had no idea that in his world she didn't exist.

Vicki dropped to her knees when she saw where they were.

"Are you kidding me? What happened?" Vicki asked, her voice cracking with emotion. Dagon knelt beside her. Vicki traced Annie's name on her tombstone.

"Since you didn't exist, you weren't her friend," Dagon told her.

"Yes I get that, really, you can stop repeating it," Vicki growled. She noticed by the date of her death she was only eighteen, far too young.

"What did you do at prom?" Dagon asked. Vicki blinked back tears, wiped them with the backs of her hands and sniffed. She tilted her head as she remembered their prom which seemed so long ago.

"We went together, danced together, broke the rules, went home and crashed," Vicki said out loud and with a slight smile brought on by the wonderful memory.

"Exactly, but she didn't do that this time around. She went with a boy, he was drinking and they had an accident. She died on impact, he walked away without a scratch. Of course, he did some time but being a first offense, they were lenient," Dagon explained.

Vicki stood and stared at Dagon.

"You knew this before you brought me, you could have warned me," Vicki shot back at her.

"I can't interfere," Dagon threw her hands up in front of her.

"Are you shitting me!? You've been interfering all night by taking me to see my loved ones as you call them," Vicki yelled.

"Yes, but for a purpose." Dagon reminded her.

"What now?" Vicki said with a sound of defeat.

"Tell me, do you think you being here made a difference?" Dagon asked.

Vicki was quiet then said, "Yes, I do."

Dagon rolled her eyes, "Vicki, you have to mean it," she said softly.

"What? I do mean it," Vicki told her.

"You're telling me that because you just want to get back and make sure everyone is okay."

_Damn,_ Vicki thought, _she's good._

"Hell yes I want to make sure they are okay! Shit!" Vicki stomped her foot. She bent down again and touched Annie's tombstone, "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Come on, one more thing," Dagon held her hand out to Vicki.

"Great," Vicki muttered as she took her hand.

"Where now…" Vicki's voice trailed away when they disappeared.

When they arrived at their destination, Vicki nearly fell on her face.

"Nice landing," Vicki huffed.

"No one is perfect," Dagon said as she rearranged her clothing and dusted herself off.

"Okaaay…where the hell are we?" Vicki didn't recognize where they were other than she could tell where ever they were, when ever it was a long time ago.

"Happy Birthday Vicki," Dagon moved and pointed. Vicki covered her mouth as she gasped.

In a hospital bed, her mother lay there with a baby, with Vicki, in her arms. A younger version of her father sat on the bed and peered at his newborn daughter. Vicki's finger held his tightly.

"Wow, she's going to be strong Marjory, thank you," Vicki's father kissed her mother's hand then kissed baby Vicki's forehead. The scene was a conundrum for Vicki. On the one hand, it gave her the opportunity to see her father in a different light but on the other hand, it sickened her too. She never remembered her father being that attentive although she was sure he was at one time or she would have never been born and THAT thought made her queasy. Shaking her head to clear it out, she turned to Dagon.

"What's the point of this trip?" Vicki asked.

Dagon put her hand on Vicki's shoulder, "Vicki dear, we are going to take a little trip down memory lane."

Vicki cocked her head and smiled, "Groovy…."


	10. Little Bit

Within mere seconds, they were at Vicki's house yet again but this time, it was when she was a small child and her father and mother were together.

"Marjory, where's Little Bit?" Vicki heard her father call. That had been his nickname for her. Clearing her throat and frowning, Vicki asked Dagon what the point was.

"The point, Little Bit," Vicki narrowed her eyes at Dagon but said nothing, "is that you need to see all the things you've forgotten throughout your life."

"I still say if you take me back to the present, I can make them better people," Vicki shrugged.

Dagon threw her head back and laughed, "You mean, you think you can insert yourself into the lives I just showed you and you can make a difference? No, that will not happen. Vicki, you need to admit to yourself that you need the people in your life, that you can't do everything alone. And, this little excursion of ours should show you how much they need you too."

"Whatever," Vicki responded as she watched her father throw her five year old self in the air while she giggled.

"Look, do you remember these times?" Dagon asked. Vicki nodded silently, of course she did. She had to hang on to those memories because that is all that she had when it came to her loser father. Within a few years of these memories came the fighting and the walking away from his family forever.

"Yes, I do. But, that's all they are, distant memories. Again, why am I here?"

"Well now, that's the million dollar question isn't it?" Dagon answered with a wry smile.

"I suppose," Vicki sighed.

She watched as her father played and laughed, then kissed her mother and looked at her lovingly. Vicki stood still, her hands shoved deep in her back pockets while tears threatened to spill over onto her cheeks.

"Vicki?" Dagon whispered as she too stared at little Vicki and her family.

"Yeah," Vicki choked out.

"Don't you want that? The love, the family, the children, don't you want that one day for yourself?"

Vicki laughed, "Do you really think I'm mother and wife material? Hell, I'm not even girlfriend material."

"Again, you sell yourself short," Dagon told her.

"Besides, Henry can't father children, I will grow old and blind," Vicki said softly as if thinking about things long term.

Dagon tilted her head as she processed what Vicki had said aloud.

"So, it's something you've thought of, with Henry." Dagon stated.

"I guess, no, I don't know!" Vicki threw her hands up. She was clearly confused and frustrated.

"Regardless, let's continue," Dagon took Vicki to the year after her father left, a very dark and sad period in her life as well as her mothers.

"Great, just the memory I wanted to relive," Vicki grumbled.

"Just watch, then tell me how this affected you," Dagon ordered. Vicki watched as her mother lay in bed and cried silently. Vicki knew this even as a child and she used to crawl into bed with her, lie down and stroke her mother's hair, telling her not to be sad. Vicki watched her younger self do just that and felt her heart harden from the visual.

"Vicki, what did this do to you?" Dagon knew but she wanted to hear it from Vicki, she wanted Vicki to acknowledge it.

"Nothing," Vicki did her best to appear non chalant and uncaring.

Dagon rolled her eyes, "You know, if you look stubborn or mule up in the dictionary, your picture is there. Tell me, Vicki. Say it out loud."

Vicki cut her eyes at Dagon and then back to the scene before her.

"I decided then and there I would never need anyone, I decided that no one would penetrate my heart, that I was going to be tough. I never wanted to be hurt like that."

"So how's that workin' out for ya?" Dagon mocked Vicki's way of speaking.

"Just fine," Vicki lied through gritted teeth.

"Do you want to be a lonely old lady too Vicki or never even exist?"

"Of course not," Vicki answered, "but why does it have to be kids, men and a picket fence? Why not just me and whoever I chose at the moment?"

Dagon's voice became softer as she once again took Vicki's hand to lead her to another part of her life, "Because, Victoria, that's never God's intention. God wants happiness for you."

"God, right," Vicki snorted. She wasn't always the best believer and sometimes even questioned His existence but she did have to admit since being with Henry, he'd encouraged her more and she knew too that in dealing with demons, you had to have some assemblence of faith.

Vicki's eyes adjusted to where they were and smiled. She was with Annie, her best friend in high school. Annie had a perfect home life while Vicki's was less than perfect. Annie's parents always made Vicki feel welcome and she felt bad that after Annie had married and had children she'd lost touch with her.

"She's alive," Vicki whispered.

"We are reliving your memories, Vicki. Nothing has changed back yet. Watch," Dagon put her finger over her mouth. Annie and Vicki were lying on the hood of Vicki's old beater looking at the stars.

"I hate this hoopty car," Vicki said aloud.

"Hey, gets us from point A to point B doesn't it?" Annie reminded her. They laughed and stared back at the stars.

"Annie, what do you want to do with your life?" Vicki didn't remember this conversation so she listened intently, wondering what they'd told each other.

"Me? Oh, I want to marry a millionaire, go around the word and drip with diamonds," Annie sighed and laughed. She proceeded to tell Vicki what she really wanted was nothing more than to fall in love, get married and have lots of babies.

"Sounds like blast but don't you want to go to college?" Vicki asked. Annie told her no, she was happy with who she was. The present Vicki shook her head and clicked her tongue.

"What's wrong with that Vicki?" Dagon asked raising her eyebrow as she waited for Vicki's response.

"Well…nothing but she would have to depend on a man her whole life and.." Vicki stopped when she realized that here was yet another example of how Vicki did not want to have to depend on or need anyone. She opened her mouth to finish her sentence then shoved her hands back in her pockets and continued to watch.

"What about you, Vic, what do you want to do?" Annie leaned up on one elbow and looked at Vicki.

"Me? Oh, I want to be a detective, solve crimes," Vicki smiled. The present Vicki nodded approval and crossed her arms in an "I told you so" type of stance.

"And?" Annie prodded.

"And…" Vicki leaned up to look at Annie, "I want to get married too, have a couple of kids, not a ton and be happy." The present Vicki did not remember saying that.

"I think you made her say that," Vicki hissed into Dagon's ear.

"I can't change anything, Vicki. It happened, you, my dear, have chosen to block it out," Dagon told her.

"I hope we both get what we want. Vicki, you're my best friend, you know all my faults, everything about me and you're always there for me, thank you. I love you so much, what would I do without you?" Annie said with tears in her eyes as she hugged the past Vicki tightly.

"I feel the same way, and you'll never have to worry about finding out what it's like to be without me, I'm always there for you," the present Vicki felt a twinge of guilt because she hadn't kept that promise.

"I've seen enough, let's go," Vicki declared.

"Too painful?" Dagon asked.

Vicki was stomping away, tears of guilt and pain sliding down her cheeks, "Fuck off…"


	11. Another Time, Another Place

Dagon stood firm and unmoving. Vicki stopped when she realized they were still in the past and as she wiped away her tears, she frowned at Dagon.

"I said I was ready to go," Vicki demanded.

"I heard you but I want to know something, the Vicki I know now is very, very loyal to those she loves, what happened with Annie? Why did you lose touch?"

Vicki balled her fists up and spat out, "That's none of your damn business, let's go."

"It is my business and I'm the one in control, remember? How do you propose to get your shit together without me?"

Vicki was shocked at Dagon's response, she'd cursed and thus far, Dagon had appeared so calm, collected and almost prudish so that the word was like a slap in the face to Vicki.

"I…uh..I guess I don't have a choice," Vicki said aloud.

"No, you don't, now tell me, what happened?"

Vicki found a rock, sat down and put her head in her hands, a loud sigh escaping her quivering lips.

"Jealousy," she finally breathed out. Dagon tilted in her head in astonishment. Vicki Nelson jealous of someone? That didn't sound right.

"You were jealous of…??"

"Annie, her life, her success in it..so simplistic and yet, she had everything she wanted. She was happy, loved unconditionally, something I never had save for my loving yet sometimes eccentric mother. I thought I was this tough, strong woman and yet, I could feel the jealousy and anger running through me so I felt it best to leave her alone."

"Do you think for a moment it was all roses and sunshine for her, especially without you?" Dagon asked taking a step forward.

"What the hell did she need me for? She has..or had I should say.." Vicki said softly and glancing down before continuing, "she had a husband who loved her, beautiful children, she was happy."

"Huh..how do you know all of this if you lost touch with her?" Dagon crossed her arms and waited for Vicki's answer.

Vicki's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, "I looked her up once, I am a PI you know."

"You're lying, you watched her from afar and when you realized she was living her dream and you couldn't let yourself be happy, you left her alone, you took away her friendship without asking," Dagon accused.

"No, I didn't. She could have called me," Vicki yelled as she jumped up.

"She did, numerous times," Dagon offered.

"How the hell do you know?" Vicki asked, her face full of anger and embarrassment. Her eyes flashed, her nostrils flared and her mouth was set in a firm line.

"I know everything, come on, let me show you the pain you caused her," Dagon reached for Vicki's hand but she jerked it away.

"No, no," she shook her head, "I can't."

"You can and you will, come on," Dagon grabbed Vicki so fast she had no time to react. Soon, they were in another time, another place. Vicki glanced around and realized they must have been in Annie's house.

"Still nothing?" Annie's husband Jack asked as he pecked her on the cheek. Annie looked to be about twenty, she was pregnant and Vicki knew it was with her first child, a boy she would name Jackson after his father.

"Nothing, I want to talk to her Jack, it hurts so much that she won't return my calls, my letters, emails, nothing. What did I do? Does she not need me anymore?" Annie's eyes filled with tears as she stared at the blank computer screen. She and Vicki used to talk for hours on line but that had stopped too. Still, each night, Annie would turn on the computer, sign in and hope she'd hear that familiar ding that let her know Vicki was home from school and ready to chat about everything, about nothing, about life.

"I know you do, I hate that you're hurting like this. What can I do?" Jack asked tenderly.

"Just what you're doing," Annie sniffed. Jack kissed her again and went to bed, leaving her to stare at the computer awhile longer before joining him.

Vicki gritted her teeth and held back tears of her own. She knew that Annie was online. She too was on but would sign in without being shown. She wanted to badly to talk but couldn't bring herself to do it. She wanted to tell Annie how lonely she was, how sad she was, how empty she felt and how much she missed her but Vicki didn't want to burden anyone with her problems, not even her best friend Annie. She had to let Annie go to be happy.

"So, let's analyze, you're showing me all the things I know, I'm a horrible daughter, a horrible girlfriend and the worst friend on the planet. Yeah, you are so right! What was I thinking?" Vicki slapped her forehead, "I so need to be here, they need me so badly," Vicki said with a dramatic flair putting one hand on her forehead and the other on her heart.

"Tell me again why they need me?" Vicki glared at Dagon.

"Might I remind you that where she was when I showed you the first time?"

Vicki's face fell-the cemetery.

"I didn't think Annie needed me anymore, she had her own life," Vicki finally admitted. Along with being jealous, Vicki felt left out, unloved and most of all, she felt she wasn't needed. This was something she never, ever wanted to admit to anyone but trying to lie to Dagon was futile.

"That's right, Vicki, you're a normal person, what's wrong with that?"

Vicki said sadly, "Because if you let people in, you only get hurt."

Dagon took Vicki's hand and this time she didn't fight, she accepted it willingly. She was ready to get the hell out of there. Dagon took her to her days at the academy.

"Oh shit, not here," Vicki cried out.

"Oh yes, here," Dagon watched in amusement as the younger Vicki flirted with a younger Mike.

"I must say this, Vicki, you're taste in men is impeccable," Dagon took the time to fully enjoy Mike in his prime, not that he was bad looking as an older man but younger looked damn sexy on him.

"Thanks, I guess," Vicki mumbled and took in an eyeful herself. She was, however, appalled at her younger self for being so blatantly flirtatious.

"That's disturbing, to see yourself like that," Vicki hissed in Dagon's ear.

"True, but you need to see that you do have a heart, you did have fun at one time," Dagon told her.

"I know I have a heart, damn! I'm not stupid and unfeeling," Vicki clicked her tongue.

"Maybe, but you need to open your heart," Dagon shot back.

Vicki didn't want to open her heart. It was already full of love for a man that she didn't want to love.

What the hell was she going to do?


	12. Change of Plan

Henry paced his apartment and wondered if he would ever see this woman. The more he paced the angrier and frustrated he became.

"Who are you?" Henry growled. Finally, he could no longer contain his rage and out he went. He blindly forged into the night to satiate a hunger he could no longer control. Finding a lovely young woman, he took her into the back of a loud club and began to kiss her forcefully. His hands groped her and initially, she returned the favor.

"You're one hot, sexy man," the woman purred into his ear as she bit his neck. Henry's eyes darkened, his fangs dropped and when the music hit a crescendo, he bit and drank. His hardened member twitched with excitement but the woman eyes grew wide and she gasped.

"Please," she pled with Henry, her fingers digging into his leather jacket, "you're…ow…hurting me…" the woman gulped, tears trailed down her cheek but Henry held tight as he gulped. Her blood tasted of fear and copper and this fueled Henry's desire to continue to feed from the frightened girl. When he felt her begin to go limp, he knew he had almost gone too far and he stopped. Laving her wounds closed, he used his vampire voice and whispered into her ear that she had passed out drunk and would remember nothing. Sitting her into a darkened corner, Henry fled the club in need of release. Upon entering his condo, Henry peered into the darkness hoping to see this woman he didn't know but craved. Seeing nothing as he guessed and knew he wouldn't, he once again headed to the shower. Peeling off his clothe, he closed his eyes and thought of her again. He groaned and stepped under the hot water.

"Who are you?" he whispered, his fangs still extended and eyes black as night. Reaching down to take himself in his own hands, he began slowly at first, stroking and rolling his sensitive tip. Using one hand to brace himself, he laid his forehead on the shower wall and moved in rhythm to his hand, wondering and fantasizing what it would be like to be inside of this beautiful woman. He could imagine her wet walls, her firm breasts as he massaged and twirled them in his mouth and he imagined himself slamming into her as he brought her to the edge over and over. His ministrations became more aggressive, faster, harder and more intense. Soon, he roared his release, his head back and hand working himself over until he was spent.

"I must find you," Henry horsed out as he panted.

***************************************************************

Vicki watched as she and Mike took walks, kissed, held hands and sparred with each other. She remembered the many dinners they had while working cases late into the night. The look on Mike's face when she talked was something Vicki didn't remember. His eyes were full of desire and love, his smile showing what his heart felt and he looked truly happy. Vicki felt badly, she didn't think she'd ever loved Mike as much as he loved her. More than that, she knew she didn't and she knew the biggest part of that problem was that she refused to let herself love Mike that much. She wanted to love him deeply but was afraid. Now, as she watched her life slip away before her eyes, she regretted that. However, she thought to herself had she stayed with Mike, she might never have met Henry. That would mean that she would need to admit feelings for Henry. No, that she wasn't ready to do but it would need to be addressed. Vicki felt empty, for the first time in a long time, she felt dark and empty.

"I'd like to move on," Vicki suddenly asked Dagon.

"Vicki, what is it? Your tone has changed, what's going on?" Dagon felt the shift in Vicki's emotions but she couldn't quite place what was going on.

"I'm just ready to move forward, please," Vicki told her with true sincerity.

"Alright, before we make a final decision, I want to take you to when you first met Henry," Dagon told her.

"Why?"

"It's important, when you see things from a different perspective, it changes everything," Dagon assured her.

"Fine, whatever," Vicki rolled her eyes.

Vicki braced herself for the moment she met Henry although at the time, she didn't actually know she'd met him because he knocked her unconscious. Dagon took her to the condo where Vicki was asleep on the couch. Vicki watched in amazement as Henry, ever the gentleman, tenderly brushed her hair away from her face while she slept.

"Do you see the look in his eyes?" Dagon asked.

Vicki nodded a yes and asked why.

"That's a look of love at first sight," Dagon told her. Although Vicki saw it too, she wouldn't admit it, not just yet.

"I don't believe in that. How can you love someone without knowing them?"

"How does a mother love her unborn child?" Dagon shot back.

"That's different," Vicki clicked her tongue.

"How so?"

"Well," Vicki stammered then said with confidence, "because the child and the mother are united, they share a body, blood, stuff like that."

"But, the mother has not seen the child, it's just a blob to her," Dagon then added, "true love is unconditional Vicki. It doesn't matter how well you know someone, you just feel it." Just then, the past Vicki woke up and soon, Vicki was witnessing the first time she'd met Henry as an outsider looking in. She watched and smiled to herself knowing full well that this young man, this Henry, had intrigued her and peaked her interest. She'd acted blasé but inside, she wanted to know more and knew that this was someone she would love to get to know, in more ways than one.

"Alright, so I've seen it, now what?" Vicki did her best to sound non-plussed.

Dagon turned, "Now, you get a day without them knowing you. Just call if you need me," she added with a wry smile.

"What?" Vicki's eyes went wide.

Dagon took Vicki's hand and before Vicki could open her mouth to protest, she was standing the Mike's precinct.

Vicki glanced around at the buzz of activity, "Son of a bitch…"


	13. Advice From An Ex

Vicki found herself standing in the middle of the precinct, Mike's precinct, her former precinct.

"Damn you Dagon," she muttered. Vicki thought she wanted to do this but came to the sudden realization this might be a bad idea. _Too little, too late_, she told herself. Sighing, she glanced around and saw Mike's door shut. She shrugged and figured she'd go straight in and say…wait..what the hell was she going to say, "_Hi Mike, in a former life, we were partners, lovers and friends. You're making a huge mistake by having an affair on your wife, you're an alcoholic and you could be a better man than this, wanna have get some Chinese for old time's sake?" _ Vicki shook that ridiculous speech out of her head and again started toward Mike's office. As she turned, she bumped into an officer.

"Hi," Vicki almost said Kate then caught herself and said, "officer."

"Hello, can I help you? You seem a little lost," Kate had her arms crossed in defiance and a stance that said 'don't' fuck with me.'

"No, not really, I just need to see M..the Captain," Vicki smiled.

Kate put her hand out to stop Vicki, "Uh..what for? He is a busy, busy man." Kate couldn't put her finger on it but this woman seemed to be a threat. She wasn't large, she wasn't or didn't seem nuts and she didn't appear to have weapons so why not let her see Mike? Kate shook the thoughts away and focused on the beautiful woman before her.

"I've," Vicki was trying to think quick, "I've got some information about the case he might be interested in." Vicki did notice something in the pictures that might help Mike and thought she'd at least give him something to go on.

"You can tell me, I'm the lead detective on the case," Kate offered.

"I'd rather tell him if you don't mind," Vicki moved to push past her.

Kate stood firm, "Oh, but I do mind. And your name is..?

"I didn't say but it's Vicki, Vicki Nelson."

"Well, Vicki, Vicki Nelson, I'll take the message to him myself," Kate prodded.

Vicki set her mouth and decided it was time to play hardball, besides, at this point what did she have to lose. Vicki moved to within inches of Kate. The woman was a good two inches taller than her but she held her ground.

"How about this detective," Vicki narrowed her eyes and whispered, "I have information too on where Mike goes sometimes at night." Kate's eyes widened and she audibly gasped then recovered quickly.

"Make you a deal, you let me speak with the Captain and I'll forget what I know," Vicki told her with a raised eyebrow and a crooked yet wicked smile. Kate cleared her throat and nodded, then moved to let Vicki by.

"Thanks," Vicki nodded. She hated using that as a weapon but with little time to spare, she felt it was her only option. She felt Kate's eyes bore into her back and figured she'd be checking her out before she even entered Mike's office. She knocked slightly then opened the door.

"Yeah," Mike called out in a tired, gruff voice.

"Hey," Vicki said as she entered. She closed the door behind her and watched as Mike looked her over, head to toe.

"Do I know you?" Mike tilted his head.

Vicki so badly wanted to say yes but since her time was short, she decided to keep things as simple as possible.

"Uh..no, but I have some info that might be helpful on your case," Vicki told him as she pointed to the pictures on his desk.

"How?" Mike exclaimed as he stood abruptly. Vicki put her hands up and said, "whoa".

"Sorry," Mike ran his hands through his hair as he sat back down. Vicki noted how tired and worn he looked. The stress of the case, his infidelity, three young children and an apparent loveless marriage had left him looking far older than he was.

"Where are my manners, please, sit," Mike gestured to a chair. Vicki was tired and took the offer.

"Thank you, it's not much but I did notice that there is a pattern," Vicki told him.

"Yes, we know," Mike sighed.

"No, I mean a pattern of what time the murders are committed and how he places the bodies," Vicki told him. Mike knew there was a pattern of how the murders were committed and what type of girl he liked but he had been so worried about everything else, the time and placement were not considered at all.

"What is the signifigence?" Mike asked.

"I think he is seeking revenge on someone for a particular time and place, look through old cases involving young boys, probably about twenty or so years ago, I think you'll find a connection," Vicki told him. So far, all but one girl had been a prostitute. Vicki suggested he start with cases involving those. Mike kept staring at her, his eyes never leaving her while she talked.

"Are you sure we haven't met before?" Vicki inhaled sharply and once again replied no.

"But, if I may, I would like to say something," Vicki knew this probably wouldn't work or that she would succeed only in pissing him off but she felt she owed it to Mike and his kids.

"Look, I know about you and Kate," Mike frowned and blanched, any color he had was gone. Vicki put her hands up, "But let me say, I don't care to tell anyone. What I want to tell you Mike, don't do this to your wife. If you're unhappy, leave. It's unfair to stay with someone and make them miserable, to cheat and to lie. It's wrong and.." Vicki tried to think of a way to word it without giving too much a way, "if I did know you before, I would guess you are a good man. You are someone who would never do this to a woman."

Vicki waited for his reaction and when it came, she was less than thrilled.

Mike stood and pointed, "I don't know who the hell you think you are or what the hell you think you know but get out, if I ever catch you in my precinct again, I'll have your pretty little ass tossed in the tank."

Vicki stood too and nodded, "Don't worry, you'll never see me again." By saying that, Vicki knew it could possibly be true.

Before leaving she turned and said, "And because I won't be seeing you again and if I do you won't remember this..you're a dick…"


	14. Two Visits

When Vicki stepped out of Mike's office door, she found herself at the college. Across the open area of grass Coreen sat at a picnic table alone studying and deep in thought. She walked toward her but looked around to make sure her boyfriend was nowhere in sight.

"Hey, mind if I sit?" Vicki pointed to the empty side of the picnic table. Coreen looked up from her books, shrugged and nodded to go ahead.

"Thanks, watcha studying?" Vicki tried to peer at her book but even with her glasses it was impossible to see.

"Do I know you?" the little goth asked with interest.

Vicki laughed, "Boy, I'm getting that a lot. You know, I could probably tell you the truth and you would be the one person that would believe me."

"Believe you about what?" Coreen asked.

"Nothing, never mind, my name is Vicki," Vicki stuck her hand out for Coreen to shake it.

"Coreen," she answered back with some hesitance.

"Coreen, I just wanted to tell you that you are a strong person, you're a wonderful girl and you deserve a wonderful life," Vicki told her.

"Okaaay..look, lady, you sure you are okay? Do you want someone else?," Coreen seemed to be eyeing Vicki, "Do you have some sort of head injury?"

"No, no," Vicki sighed, "Look, just remember, you are your own person. You're too smart to have any man tell you what to do."

Coreen's expression changed to one of anger and fear, she darted her eyes and narrowed them as if she were looking for someone.

"Who sent you? Was it my dad? Who!?" Coreen pounded her fists on the table.

"No one sent me, I just…" Vicki tried to backtrack but Coreen was hastily gathering up her books and shoving them in her book bag.

"I'm fine, go away, I don't need anyone," Coreen's eyes watered and off she went. Vicki stared after her. Those words stung Vicki. She uttered those words verbatim nearly everyday and yet, when Coreen said them, they seemed so wrong. Did hers seem that wrong? She watched Coreen glance back but continue to walk away in a huff. Vicki knew her words had hit home with Coreen and yet she was more than sure it had no affect on what would continue to happen.

"Damn you Dagon," Vicki said aloud. Out of nowhere, literally, Dagon appeared beside her.

"Shit! Stop that!" Vicki said through gritted teeth.

"What's the matter Vicki? Having a little trouble with your…friends?" Dagon smiled.

"You're gloating, you just want to say I told you so or you want me to admit I have no affect on them in this way."

"And I would be right," Dagon said with a nod.

"Take me to Henry," the ever defiant Vicki said.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Dagon asked.

Vicki nodded, "Yes" and with that, they were whisked away to Henry.

Vicki squinted and sighed, "A club," she stated, "You brought me to a club? I can't see a fucking thing! Where is…" Vicki was cut short when someone spoke in her ear.

"Who are you?" Henry's otherwordly voice said into her ear. Hearing his voice, having him in such close proximity and feeling his hot breath elicited shudders throughout her body.

"I could ask you the same," Vicki responded. She did her best to keep herself in check and she was hoping against all hope that with the number of warm bodies gyrating in the loud noise of the club that her heart rate and shallow breathing would be concealed. Vicki turned to meet Henry's amused smile.

Henry's eyes flashed recognition, "It's you," he whispered.

"Yes, it is." Vicki felt that familiar pull she had tried to fight for so long before giving in. She wanted nothing more than to take Henry away in some dark corner, kiss him passionately and stroke his hard length while his hands worked their magic on her.

"Can we go somewhere quieter?" Vicki asked knowing full well Henry, even this Henry would do whatever she asked.

"Certainly," Henry took Vicki toward a set of stairs. A man guarding the entrance unclasped the chain and let them through.

"Where are we going?" Vicki asked.

"Upstairs, private rooms," Henry replied. His hand brushed her elbow lightly as if he knew she couldn't see well but this Henry would have no clue, he was just being polite.

"Private huh?" Vicki smirked. _You cannot be alone with him Nelson, _went through her mind. She knew she wanted him whether he was her current Henry or not, she wanted him badly.

"I assure you, Miss, I am a gentleman," Henry told her.

"Yeah, I know," Vicki sighed. She could change that but did she want to? What affect could she have on him if this was just a moment of sex and feeding? That's not the result she wanted to have with Henry. They arrived at a door with the number seven emblazoned on the door in gold. Upon opening the door, Vicki could clearly see it was large, comfortable and had every amenity you could imagine. A small wet bar completely stocked was on one wall, a small refrigerator which she was sure was stocked with food accompanied the bar, a flat screen television complete with surround sound and dvd player hung in the center of one wall while large comfortable furniture filled the room. There was a one way mirror that overlooked the dance floor and Vicki enjoyed the brightness of the room, she could actually see.

"Wow," was all she could manage.

"Thanks," Henry smiled and pointed to have a seat.

"Would you care for a drink?" Henry asked as he took his jacket off and tossed it on a chair. Vicki's breath caught in her throat and she did her best to keep from licking her lips, damn it was hard!

"Sure, watcha got?" Vicki asked.

"A little bit of everything, but I would take you as a bourbon or whiskey kind of girl, maybe a dry martini?"

"Damn, you're good, whichever is fine with me," Vicki shrugged. How did he know?

After a few awkward seconds, Vicki finally spoke, "Do you own this room or club?"

Henry laughed lightly, "No, but I do offer some contribution to the owner, therefore, I get use of whichever room I want, whenever. It comes in handy." Henry brought her drink to her and watched as she downed it in one swift motion. The burn in her throat gave her the courage to continue.

"I bet it does," she mumbled, "look, I don't have much time. I just need to tell you something."

"Do we know each other? I feel as though," Henry said down and pushed her hair away from her face, "as though we've known each other our whole lives."

Vicki rolled her eyes, "I bet you say that to all your meals…"

Henry immediately vamped out, his hand at her throat and fangs bared as he growled.

For the first time in her life, Vicki truly feared for her life…


	15. Mind VS Body

"I…can…explain.." Vicki choked out.

Henry used his vampire voice to try and wipe her mind but found it didn't work.

"What are you?" Henry asked, "I don't sense magic in you," he stated.

"I have no magic at all, please, let me explain," Vicki tried once again to get Henry to listen.

He released her and leaned back but stayed close enough to let Vicki know he was on full alert.

"I know you're a vampire, but, shit! How do I make you understand?" Vicki searched for the right way to say things without sounding completely out of her rabbit ass mind.

"I've seen you somewhere but I'm cautious about my situation, I would have known if you'd seen me," Henry offered.

"You think you've seen me?"

"I must have, I keep," Henry paused, "seeing you in my mind." For the first time, Vicki saw a flicker of embarrassment. For a moment, she thought that maybe his royal highness might have been having fantasies about her but being the royal he was, he would never say so she kept that thought to herself.

"You have, in another life so to speak," Vicki waited for his reaction. Henry eyed her with suspicion.

"But you don't practice magic, how is this possible?"

"It's a long story but let's just say that I was given the option of seeing things with or without me and how my loved ones would have turned out," Vicki took a breath giving Henry enough time to interject.

"You're loved ones? So, I'm one of your loved ones?" he asked with a curve of his lips in a wicked, sly smile.

Vicki squirmed uncomfortably, "Sort of, I guess you could say that."

"What exactly does that mean?" he asked, his head tilted and brows furrowed. His beast had gone quiet for now but Vicki felt it trembling beneath the surface. Reaching out, she took his hand in hers and linked their fingers. Smiling softly, she kissed each finger, one by one. Henry's body responded and he groaned slightly.

"In the other life, we are lovers, Henry," Vicki's eyes gave away her desire for him, something that was not lost on Henry. Her eyes were half-lidded with seduction that only lovers would recognize.

"Really? I think I like that life better," Henry grinned.

"Henry, do you feel different or empty?" Vicki asked suddenly.

Henry pulled his hand from hers and looked away. When he looked back, his eyes while not onyx as in when his beast roared to life but were dark nonetheless responded with only a slight nod indicating he did feel different.

"During my years as a," he looked at her and she answered, "vampire," he nodded, "yes, a vampire, I've always retained my soul, my humanity. Here of late, I can't seem to find that."

"I think that's my fault," Vicki once again took his hand. She knew at that moment, in the sum of everything she had seen and dealt with, she was important in other's lives, especially Henry's. Vicki couldn't bear the thought of seeing her mother, the pain in Mike, Coreen and Henry's eyes were enough for her to make her decision.

"In this other life, are we in love?" Henry asked.

Vicki shifted in her seat and cleared her throat, "You tell me often how much you love me."

Henry frowned, "You did not answer my question fully."

Vicki sighed, "It's…it's complicated Henry. Can we just leave it at that?"

"If you wish," Henry moved away to pace the room for a moment and Vicki could clearly see he was deep in thought.

"I'd like to ask you something."

Henry stopped pacing, "Yes?"

Vicki got up, moved to where Henry stood and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer. As she did, she felt his need as much as she knew he sensed and smelled her desire.

"I'd like for you to feed from me, just in case," she whispered as she exposed her neck to him.

"Just in case what?" Henry pushed his beast back and tried to concentrate.

"In case this woman, the one that's giving me an alternative to my life," Vicki's voice dripped with sarcasm, "in case she doesn't right things. I want to have one last…time.. with you." Vicki rolled her eyes up to see Henry wanted the same. She didn't care that the Henry she had seen was violent and beastly. The man standing before her, the gentle, sexy man, was the Henry she remembered, the one she desired and the one, she finally admitted to herself, the one she loved with all her heart. Her decision at that very moment was to make the declaration to him if or when she got back to her time.

"Are you certain?" he asked with some trepidation.

Vicki nodded, "Yes and I know you," she playfully poked him, "you have multiple buffets. This is not strange to you, is it?" she asked in a husky voice. Henry pulled her tighter, his hands caressing her back.

"No, but it's different, it feels," he searched for a word and finally said, "right."

Vicki agreed and with that, Henry's mouth claimed hers. Vicki had no idea what repercussions her actions would have but right now, she didn't care. She missed Henry, she wanted Henry and her body wouldn't be denied. His tongue claimed her in a dance that was all too familiar. Vicki answered his reactions and pressed into him, grinding her hips as she encouraged him to go further. Pulling her shirt out of her jeans, his cool hands stroked her warm back, feather touches from his talented fingers leaving trails of goose bumps wherever they trailed.

"Henry," Vicki sighed out when his lips found her neck and nibbled. Her peaked nubs rubbed his chest through her own shirt as his silky shirt fell open to reveal the hard, cool chest Vicki loved to touch and kiss. Quickly divesting himself of his shirt with hers soon following, Henry marveled at her beauty. She was exquisite and damn near perfect. His head bent again to her neck, his hands steadied her back whiled her hands rested on his chest. Her fingers found his pebbled nipple and she twirled and pinched, a guttural sound emitting from Henry's mouth that was now closed over the juncture of her neck. His hand reached around and with skill she'd not forgotten he had, he undid her bra and tossed it over his shoulder.

Vicki suddenly jumped into Henry's arms, wrapped her legs around his waist and opened her now exposed breasts to Henry. His vampire strength held her steady as he bent to her chest and sighed, taking first one quivering nub his mouth then the other. He laved and sucked, pulled and flicked each one taking time to enjoy her moaning and writhing under his ministrations.

Vicki's mind screamed stop but her body screamed more, more.

Which one would she listen too?


	16. Just a Little Something

Within seconds, the remainder of their clothing was gone. Vicki was lost beyond words and let her body take over. She missed the connection with Henry so much so that she would take what she could get, even if it meant having this Henry and not hers.

His mouth took possession of hers and he devoured her, moaning as he devouring her and remembering his fantasies of how things might be with her. The reality of it was so much better than he could ever have imagined. Vicki was an aggressive lover and Henry responded with the same intensity. He laid her on the floor gently and looked down at her face, relaxed and hungry for more.

"You are something to behold, Vicki," Henry whispered. That was the Henry Vicki knew.

She smiled and glanced down, "You're not so bad yourself." Henry pushed into her wet opening and teased her. Rolling her eyes and grunting, she arched into him. She wanted him more than ever but Henry was going to prolong this she was sure of it. Knowing he'd been thinking of her, Vicki knew he'd want to keep things going as long as possible. He kissed her again, this time gently and with passion. His tongue softly found hers, he tenderly swirled in her mouth and tasted her sweetness. Vicki sucked his bottom lip eliciting groans and grunts from Henry's parted mouth. The wetness pooled between Vicki's legs, her core getting tighter and wetter by the minute. Henry continued his pattern of kissing in a trail to the valley of her breasts. Vicki closed her eyes and sighed, her fingers entwining in Henry's soft curls. She wiggled underneath him.

"Take me, Henry please, I want you," she whispered. Henry ignored her and moved downward still, kissing her soft, flat stomach before reaching her soft mound. He nuzzled and growled as he smelled her desire, his lips kissing her softly. Vicki cried out at the minimum of what Henry did, her sensitivity to his ministrations beyond what she remembered. Slipping his finger inside, Henry grunted as her walls clamped down on them, pulling them in and slathering them in her juices. His mouth sought out her center and soon, he was sending her closer to release as he stroked that spot just inside core. When Henry felt her close, he picked up the pace. Vicki cried out her releases over and over. Henry's eyes had bled black, his fangs dropped and his beast was just on the surface. Vicki growled for him to fuck her and this request Henry did not ignore. He flipped her over and in one fell swoop, his steely rod penetrated her tight, wet walls. Vicki winced in pleasurable pain then sighed and shuddered as he stretched her post orgasmic walls to accommodate his hard manhood.

"Oh…my…God.." Vicki said over and over. Henry's hands held her hips steady but she fought him and met his rhythm, slamming into him as hard as he slammed into her. He rode her for awhile then flipped her on her back again. Vicki's hair splayed out and framed her face, that beautiful face that looked at Henry with such love he could never imagine. His heart tugged as he stared at her full lips, swollen and red with their passion, her eyes that drowned with love for him, this woman whom he'd just met and her cheeks flushed with the blood he was sending throughout her body as a result of his lovemaking. He could smell her blood and see it as it pulsed beneath the surface. Growling again, he leaned over her and let her wrap her legs around him. His swollen and sensitive tip pushed at her wet folds. Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled him close and exposed her neck to him. His hands stroked her sides, his thumbs moved up to rub her pink nubs that quivered under his touch.

"We've done this many times in this other life," Henry stated in his vampire voice. Vicki could only nod, her body was on fire for him. Henry pushed into her slowly, inch by hard inch until he was fully sheathed within her. Vicki closed her eyes again and sighed, her body reacting with spasms and shudders.

Bending to her neck, he buried his face in without biting, only licking and kissing as he rode her toward another mind blowing orgasm. Sensing her on the edge, he heard her whisper hoarsely, "feed, Henry,". Henry's beast took over and Vicki gasped when she heard and felt that familiar pop of his fangs but then shuddered as he gulped her sweet nectar. Henry brought them together, both crying out and clawing at one another as they peaked over and over. After laving her wounds closed, Henry collapsed beside Vicki and laid still, his arm draped over Vicki's sweaty body. Tenderly, Vicki stroked his arm and kissed his forehead.

"I have to go," she said quietly. Henry pulled up and stared at her.

"What? Why?" Vicki was already redressing.

"I have to get back to where I was, I have to right things," Vicki told him.

"I'm fine with things just like they are," Henry told her.

Vicki slipped on her boots and put her glasses on, shoving them up her nose.

"Henry, if I don't get back, this moment will never happen either, so I can't stay. Sorry to fuck and go," she patted his face and kissed him.

Henry stared after the woman who had taken over his heart in a matter of hours and wondered what the hell just happened. Vicki couldn't look back or she'd never be able to get back to where she needed to be. When she stepped outside the door, she saw she was yet again, nowhere.

"Dagon!" Vicki called, "I get it! I'm ready to go back and…be appreciative!"

Nothing. Silence. Deafening silence.

"Dagon." Nothing.

"Dagon?"

Vicki's heart began to race. What had she done? Was what she did with Henry too much? Was her selfishness in wanting to be with him going to cost her everything?

For the first time in her life, Vicki Nelson panicked…


	17. Repercussions

Vicki felt a pull and with a loud thud, she landed on her ass in her own office.

"Feel better?" Dagon was standing over her with a smug look on her face.

Vicki leaned up on her elbows and groaned, that landing had hurt.

"As a matter of fact I do," Vicki said with a smile on her face. Getting to her feet, she smoothed her hair, straightened her clothing and looked Dagon squarely in the eye.

"Here's the deal, I don't want to see anyone else. I get it, okay, I get it, things are different without me and I can't just waltz into their lives and change things, happy?"

Dagon tilted her head and moved to sit on the edge of Vicki's desk, "The question is, are you happy?"

Vicki thought for a moment. In all that she had seen, none of that had made her happy. It had touched her in ways she didn't know she could be touched, barring Henry's physical touch that seemed unchanged. Mike's life was in shambles, Coreen was a sheepish little girl that took abuse as if it were nothing and her mother-the very mental picture caused bile to rise in Vicki's throat.

"Yes, I am happy. Look, I am emotionally challenged, I get that. But, I do see the difference I make in people's life," Vicki admitted then added, pointing her finger in Dagon's direction, "BUT..don't expect me to change over night."

"What about Henry? And, I wasn't watching before you worry, but I do know you were intimate with the alternative Henry, how was it different?"

Vicki opened her mouth to say something then closed it. Was it different? She had to concentrate on their time together. Her mouth went dry when she thought of his mouth on her breasts, working it's magic on her wet core, his hands caressing and touching her, the moment they became one and he rode her to ecstasy. The recent memories pooled wetness between her legs.

"Quite frankly, I can't find any differences in that…area," she said as she cleared her throat. Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment of becoming aroused with her nasty naughty big girl thoughts.

"Do you know why?"

Vicki shook her head no and shrugged, "Hadn't thought about it."

Dagon smiled, "I know you won't believe this but everyone has a soul mate. You are Henry's and vice versa. It felt right, you felt complete and you were molded as one."

Vicki narrowed her eyes, soul mates!? No way! Could there be such a thing?

"Slight problem," Vicki argued.

"What?"

"For one," Vicki crossed her arms, "there's the whole immortal vampire thing, two, I'm going blind, who wants to deal with that and three," Vicki thought hard, "what if I want kids? Henry can't have kids."

Dagon laughed, "Vicki, where there's a will there's a way and there is no one that has more will than you. Never thought you wanted kids but it's different with someone you really love, isn't it? The thought crosses your mind doesn't it? As far as immortality, who knows what will happen? And," Dagon was in front of her in an instant, so fast and so close Vicki almost didn't see her, "when you love someone deeply, a love that's true and honest, meant to be, you love them unconditionally. You love all of them, their faults become your issues to deal with, their triumphs become your victories, their pain becomes a cause for you to champion. Can you not..sorry the pun…but _see_ how much he loves you? Do you really think there is anyone in his life, in all his years, that he has loved as much as you?"

Vicki toyed with the pencil holder on her desk and averted her eyes, "I'm a challenge, nothing more. He can't persuade me so it's a challenge for him." While these words fell from her mouth, Dagon knew Vicki's heart felt something different.

"Vicki, you know in your heart how he feels. You know it's much more than a challenge," Dagon told her.

When Vicki brought her eyes back up to meet Dagon's, they were brimming with tears.

"I know, that's what scares me," she said softly. The tough, independent and secure Vicki Nelson had admitted she was frightened. This was a massive breakthrough. Dagon pulled Vicki into a tight hug and while Dagon expected resistance, she got quite the opposite. Vicki fell into her and sobbed. She let out all of the emotional turmoil she'd witnessed in her friend's lives. She felt Mike's betrayal and unhappiness, she could still feel Coreen's despair and Henry's angry heart. Most of all, she felt her mother's loneliness and sadness. Pulling her away, Dagon, in a very motherly way, kissed her forehead and smoothed her hair back before wiping her tears.

"You know, my own daughter is just as stubborn as you, that's probably why I got this job," Dagon told her as she turned to leave.

"Wait," Vicki sniffed, "you..you have a daughter."

Dagon sighed and closed her eyes, "Oh yes."

"What exactly are you?"

Dagon hesitated then told her, "I'm like a second chance Angel."

Vicki blinked once, twice and then a third time, "How old are you?"

"You're never supposed to ask a woman her age, Vicki," Dagon clicked her tongue and curved her lips up in a smile, "but I will say I'm far older than Henry."

"How do you have a daughter if you're an Angel?" Vicki had slipped into her PI mode with ease.

"We have lives too," Dagon swiped her hand and showed Vicki another place. Standing in a group of others was a girl that looked much like Coreen. The girl turned and rolled her eyes.

"Mother! Why are you intruding again!? Jeez," the girl leaned forward, "I'm with my friends, can you stop please?" she whispered. Dagon looked at Vicki as if to say, "see what I mean?" Dagon swiped her hand and the image was gone.

"Was that.." Vicki wanted to say 'heaven' but said, "never mind, I don't want to know."

"My job is done," Dagon started to leave again and Vicki stopped her.

"Wait, what now? What do I do?"

Dagon frowned, "It's your life, Vicki, I can't tell you what to do nor do I want to. You've seen what it's like without you, it's up to you. Your fate is in your hands and again, where there's a will, there's a way. You will find a way. Be appreciative and grateful. If you need me, just call." And with that, Dagon was gone.

"How?" Vicki called out. A small voice said 'pray' and then nothing. Henry chose that moment to enter her office.

"How what?" he looked around and sniffed, listening intently for any other heart beats.

Vicki threw herself into his arms and kissed him deeply. Henry slowly put his arms around her, his hand caressing her back and his other hand at her neck. His tongue slipped into her mouth and then he pulled away.

"Vicki, you taste..different," Henry noted with a frown. _Oh fuck!_ She thought. Did he taste the other Henry on her?

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, you taste," he smacked his lips, then smiled, "sweeter." Vicki took his mouth again. Normally, Vicki would have been angry or defensive after a remark like that but today, now, Vicki knew it was for the best she tasted sweeter.

"What's the occasion?" Henry asked when she broke the kiss. Vicki looked at him coyly.

"Don't ask, just do…"


	18. Smutalicious

Henry was unsure as to why Vicki had a sudden change of emotional response but for now, he was content to enjoy Vicki in full form. Vicki's hands moved over every inch of Henry. She cupped his face as she kissed him, moaned as he kissed her neck and put his hands at her back to caress her and sighed when he lifted her shirt and bit softly through her lace bra. Vicki pulled away and lifted her shirt over her head. Henry pulled his shirt off as well exposing his rock hard stomach and chest. Vicki leaned in and sniffed, the musty man scent sending her into overdrive. Her warm, moist mouth found his hardened nipple. Laving it, she swirled her tongue around the edge slowly before working her way to the center, tugging slightly as she sucked. Henry grunted and arched into her. His firm erection threatened to rip through his tight jeans and sensing this, Vicki reached down to free him. The painful pleasure brought a growl from Henry as he was freed up and Vicki took him in her hands before dropping to her knees and pulling him into her mouth. Sliding his pants down while she worked, Henry willpower kept him from thrusting into her mouth fully.

"Vicki," Henry whispered. Her tongue laved his sensitive tip before her mouth over took his steely rod while her hand stroked the shaft. No longer able to stand it, Henry pulled her up and divested her of her remaining clothing. Vicki shuddered when his mouth found her quivering nub eager to be teased and suckled. Her hands wound into his hair while she pushed into her and pulled him to her simultaneously. Her core dripped with moisture. His free hand slid between her legs, his fingers pushing into her and stretching her while his thumb found her pulsing center. Vicki cried out as he twirled with vampire speed then suddenly stopped to lay her on her couch. Panting and sweating, Vicki closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath but before she could, she felt Henry's mouth at her mound. Her nails dug into her couch, her head went back and her hips arched up to meet his mouth. While his tongue worked her over, his fingers again slid into her and pumped. Vicki saw stars when her orgasms started, her body bucked and her walls enveloped Henry's fingers, squeezing and letting go with each release. When she was finished, Henry pulled her up and leaned her forward, Vicki rested her hands on her couch and backed into Henry letting him know she was more than ready.

"Take me Henry, hard and fast," her voice was heavy with desire. Henry obliged her offer and speared her but oh so slowly. Vicki squeaked, his tip pressed her opening, then stretched her, then entered her all the while Vicki tried but failed to back into him. Henry was teasing her, the smile on his face showed his pleasure, the black in his eyes and fangs dropping showing his desire. His hand trailed her back eliciting goose bumps and shivers from Vicki. Holding her firm at her hips, he finally shoved one last hard shove into her. Once Henry was fully sheathed within her, Vicki shuddered. Her walls contracted around his rock hard member and pulled him as far into her as she could manage. Henry suddenly began to slam into Vicki and she smiled, rolled her eyes and cried yes, yes over and over. Feeling his release to be imminent, her wet, tight walls threatening hers, he bent to her shoulder and bit down. Convulsing over and over again, Vicki relished when Henry pulled her up and caressed her tenderly, buried his face in her shoulder and carefully laved her wounds closed. This was the closeness she never really let herself enjoy before but now, it would be something she would treasure.

When they were spent, they curled up together on the couch and covered themselves with Vicki's throw she kept there. It was one her grandmother made for her and yet another thing she never really appreciated but would now. She laid her head on his should and let him cuddle, something unusual too.

After a bit, Henry spoke, "I'm certainly not complaining, in fact, I'm a little worried there might be something strange going on but you've changed." Henry smiled down on her when she looked up. Turning slightly, she smiled and put her hand his face.

"I have changed but I hope for the better," she offered.

"Oh I'd say so," Henry teased. His face took a serious tone and he added, "But, is everything okay? Is there something you need to tell me?"

Vicki tilted her head and then realized he thought she might be dying, "_Oh_, I'm fine Henry, really. Let's just say I've seen the light, so to speak."

"What ever it is, I'll understand," Henry told her while tucking her hair away from her face.

"Yes, I know you would but really, don't worry. I'm healthy, happy and grateful. Although," she bit her bottom lip before finishing, "there is one thing."

Henry frowned, "I knew you were hiding something, is it Celluci? Is he back in the picture?" Henry's face looked dark and sad.

"No Henry, just listen, damn!" Vicki sighed.

Vicki turned them so that they were face to face, "I..I love you very much," Vicki swallowed hard. She'd told Henry she'd loved him many times in the past but this time, her tone was different.

"I hear a 'but' coming," Henry said with a worried tone.

"A good but," Vicki teased and turned hers toward him. Playfully, he slapped her and she jumped, screamed and smiled.

"Yes, that it is," Henry sighed.

"Henry, I want to stay with you forever," Henry furrowed his brow.

"I'm not turning you," he told her firmly.

"I know, but we need to find a way to make it work, I just know we can," Vicki sounded more than serious, she sounded determined.

"I have a confession," Vicki's stomach tightened, Henry had a confession? What could it be?

"What?"

Leaning into her, he took both hands in his, kissed the back of each one and said, "I'd love for you to be a vampire, the connection between sire and child is nothing short of nirvana but it doesn't last. Selfishly, I don't want to lose you after a year. What are we to do then?"

Vicki thought for a moment, "I'm not sure but maybe Sinead can help us."

"No."

"Aw come on, Henry, just one thing," Vicki rolled her eyes.

"Not her," he was adamant.

Vicki sighed, "We will figure it out. I will find a way. This is huge for me you know, I'm not really a commitment kind of person and you're not making this easy." Henry threw his head back and laughed.

"Vicki, will you tell me what happened to you, maybe not today, but one day?"

Vicki smiled, "The day you figure out a way for us to be together forever," she leaned in and kissed him passionately, then pulled away and said, "then, I will tell you."

As she walked away, her nude ass swayed in a hypnotic motion that had Henry mesmerized.

"Oh, I will find a way, my love…"

Vicki stayed with Henry until dawn and then decided she had some making up to do. First, she called her mother just to say hi. Her mother, of course, was terrified Vicki was dying, she never called just to say hi. Vicki reassured her mother things were going to be different When Coreen came to work, she asked how she was, what was going on in her life and if she needed anything.

"Uh…not to complain but why are you so interested?" Coreen asked with a wary look.

"I've turned over a new leaf, so to speak. Look, if you ever need to just chat, I'm here, okay?" Vicki patted Coreen on the arm and went back to her office. Coreen stared after her, mouth hung open and eyes wide. She was little concerned that Vicki was possessed but shook the thought away. Vicki called Mike and asked him to come over as well.

"What's wrong? Fitzroy do something bonehead again?" Mike sighed as he flopped in the chair.

Vicki moved to stand directly in front him and leaned on her desk, "No. I just wanted to tell you while I'm not in love with you, I'll always love you as a friend Mike. I need you in my life, remember that. Even if I tell you I don't, if I yell and scream, I do. Just remember that." Vicki finished her speech by sitting down in her chair and opening a file.

Mike's expression was much like Coreen's, full on astonishment, "Vicki, what did he do to you?"

"Who? Henry? Nothing, I'm just trying to be appreciate of people, that's all," Vicki shrugged.

"Okaaay, well then, I'm off to work, Vicki's Doppleganger," Mike saluted and turned to leave.

"Mike, it's me, really," Vicki rolled her eyes and shook her head, "so much for being forthright."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever Nelson, I'm out, lunch date," Mike raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"Oh, one more thing, if you ever cheat on your future wife, whoever she may be, I will kill you," Vicki grinned wickedly.

"There you are, I knew you were in there somewhere," Mike pinched Vicki's cheek and then patted it before bustling off.

All was right in Vicki's world, for now…..


End file.
